Aish Cooks

Veggie Cutlets ~ Patties made with vegetables and potatoes

Have you had a recipe that’s been on your mind or to-do for a while, but you somehow never get to it? This is mine. Well, for some reason, the thought of putting together a veggie patty or cutlet is sometimes intimidating. But turns out that is mostly because it’s been sooo long since I last made it, that I had no idea it wasn’t all that hard. Especially when you have frozen, cut vegetables at hand 🙂 So, for the record, I want to tell myself today to remember that this needs to be made more often.. even on weeknights!

And guess what, these do nicely for lunch boxes – a nice way to get those veggies into their little tummies! You could add some coarsely ground wheat bread or even left over rotis (thanks PD for the idea, and the recipe!) to the vegetable-potato mix to bulk up the patties and make it a well-rounded meal option. The veggie stuffing is also super-versatile.. and can be used for so many other yummy snack foods! So bondas and samosas are definitely on the horizon now, guys 🙂

Veggie Cutlets

Makes: 14-15 medium-sized cutlets | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For the vegetable stuffing:

1. 2 potatoes (approx. 1.5 cups yield)
2. 1 1/2 cups vegetables of choice (use firm ones, that don’t leave out much water)
   1. 1/2 cup carrots, chopped
   2. 1/2 cup peas
   3. 1/2 cup green beans, chopped
3. 1 Tbsp oil
4. 1/2 cup onions, finely chopped
5. 1 tsp fresh ginger, ground or minced
6. 1 tsp fresh garlic, ground or minced
7. 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
8. 1/4 tsp garam masala or curry powder of choice
9. 3/4 tsp ground coriander powder
10. 1/2 tsp red chili powder, or to taste
11. few stalks of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
12. few drops of lemon, or to taste
13. salt to taste

For the cutlets (patties):

1. 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour (or corn starch), dissolved in approx. 1/2 cup water
2. 1/3 cup fine bread crumbs
3. oil for shallow or deep-frying

Method:

Step 1: Prepare the vegetables for the stuffing:

1. Boil the potatoes, with skin-on. Remove the skin, mash well and set aside.
2. Boil/steam cook the finely cut vegetables, drain all water, roughly mash with fork or spoon and set aside.
3. Note: The key to preparing the vegetables is to make sure as much water as possible is taken out of the boiled vegetables.

Step 2: Make the stuffing:

1. Heat some oil in a pan.
2. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to crackle.
3. Add the onions, along with some salt to help it cook quickly, and saute on med-high until golden brown.
4. Add the ginger, garlic and saute for a few seconds.
5. Add the dry ground spices – turmeric, red chili powder, ground coriander, gram masala – and saute for about a minute on low heat to prevent burning.
6. Add the mashed vegetables and combine well. Add more salt if needed.
7. Cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently until the veggies are fully incorporated with the spices and all excess moisture has dried up.
8. Turn off the heat, add chopped cilantro and a few drops of lemon.
9. Add the mashed potatoes and combined well until a somewhat firm dough-like mixture forms. Check the taste and adjust if necessary. Set aside to slightly cool down.
10. Note: If mixture is too soggy, add bread crumbs or ground fresh bread to help absorb excess moisture.
11. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, divide into small lemon-sized portions and make into small patties. You could also flatten the dough-like stuffing onto the counter (lined with cling-wrap to prevent sticking) and cut out into fun shapes using cookie cutters.

Make-ahead tip: Prepare the patties and store on a tray covered with cling wrap to prevent drying, for a few hours or up to a day or 2 in advance. Just plan on bringing the patties to room temperature before frying to help cook evenly.

Step 3: Fry the cutlets (patties):

1. Have the patties, bread crumbs and flour mixture ready at hands reach.
2. Dip the patties, one at a time, in the flour mix and then dust it in bread crumbs to form a thin even coating on both sides. Dust off the excess.
3. Heat some oil in a pan. You only need a think layer or oil for shallow frying.
4. Fry on medium heat until golden brown on both sides.
5. Drain off excess oil and remove onto a paper-lined platter.
6. Serve hot, with ketchup or green chutney!